Silent Hell
by Leggo My Waffle
Summary: A man wakes up in a mysterious hospital to a world not quite like his own. He has no recollection of who he is. Rated M for violence and language. Chapter 8 finally released!
1. Lisa

**Chapter 1**

I don't remember anything. I don't know who I am, where I am or even if this is real. It's dark. It's cold. I'm lying on the ground, naked. I can feel liquid beneath me. It may be blood. Is it my blood? I'm not sure. My body aches, yet I cannot feel any wounds. My sobs ring out in the room. I can't tell whether the room is large or small. For all I know, I'm not in a room. Perhaps I'm in a chasm, long and deep, praying for someone to save me, yet knowing no one will ever find e or my corpse. But that's not true. I'm in a room. I don't know how I know, but I do. Something shifts to my right. I try to call out, but my throat is parched. I make only a hoarse coughing sound.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Her voice is soft, feminine, with a hint of worry.

"Where am I? Who are you?" In my mind, those words echo in the room, yet I know better. Just more coughing.

"Try not to speak. It has been several days since you have had something to eat or drink." I feel her hand in clasp around mine. She opens my fingers and places a cylindrical metal object on my palm. "Drink it. It's fresh water, somewhat of a rarity around here lately." Though I cannot see her, I sense her warm smile.

I pour the cold liquid into my yearning mouth. Swallowing is painful. The water feels like cold daggers in my throat. I don't care though. I down the entire bottle, feeling upset when the last drop is gone.

"May I have some more water?" I actually hear the words this time. Harsh, yet audible.

"I'm sorry. Any more water than that and you'll vomit it all back up. It's not good for a dehydrated person to engorge themselves on water." She sounds generally concerned.

"How do you know all this? Who are you?"

"My name is Lisa Garland. I'm a nurse at this hospital. You stumbled into the reception area covered in blood. This was the only room I could find that wasn't filthy."

"Hospital? Why is it so dark? Why am I naked?"

Lisa gives a cute laugh. "Open your eyes! You must have a very active imagination." I feel her hand on my shoulder. A confused look spreads across my face. Open my eyes? They are open . . . aren't they?

Despite my own beliefs, I open my eyes farther. A pretty girl with long blonde hair stares down at me. She is wearing a red sweater over a one piece nurse outfit. Perhaps girl is not the correct word. I can see lines of age across her face. Her eyes look dead inside.

The wall behind her is a decayed brown color. The window is smeared with dirt and grime. The dim light barely filters through. I look down at myself and see I am wearing a thin hospital gown. There are several blood stains on it. I feel embarrassed by my nearly naked body.

"Don't worry about the gown. It's long enough to cover everything." She smiles sweetly. "And don't be embarrassed, you look pretty good in it." Her smile becomes corrupt.

I blush slightly. Then I remember the disgusting room I am in. "Lisa, why is this room so dirty?" My throat still feels dry.

"All the rooms are like this. They have been for a long time. No one has ever come back to clean them. I have tried, but it's just so much work for one person." Her eyes give a look of hopelessness.

I can't help but feel sorry for her. "What happened here Lisa? Why hasn't anyone been here?"

"People have been here. Travis, Kaufmann, Harry. Yes, people have been here. They all have left me alone. I get so scared when it gets dark out." Lisa looks at me. I can't tell if she is genuinely frightened, or if she is putting on an act.

Her hand is still on my shoulder. I try to sit up, but she pushes me back down. "Please don't move, you'll only agitate your wounds. Now that you're awake, would you mind if I asked a few personal questions?"

"Sure, why not?" I smile at her, trying to give her some comfort. She looks away when I do.

"I only need three things. Your name, date of birth and blood type. Oh, four if you count any health problems."

I think for a moment. My name? What is it? Nothing comes to my mind. Amnesia. I don't need a doctor to tell me that. I can't recall any answers to her questions. "I'm sorry Lisa, I just can't remember. I must have hurt my head."

She smiles at me. "Alright. You rest up here for a while. I'll be back in a few hours to check up on you."

As she walks away, she slides her hand down my arm. I shudder at the feeling. Her skin is cold.


	2. Sophia

**Chapter 2**

Lisa sits next to me, reading something on a clip board. She returned half an hour ago. She barely acknowledged my presence.

"Lisa?" She doesn't look up from her clipboard. I sigh in frustration. She glances up at the sound.

"Did you need something? If you do, please let me know. I can go get anything you need, but I'd much rather figure out what is exactly wrong with you."

I shake my head. "I don't need anything but a person to talk to. And we know what's wrong with me. Head trauma. It's the only reasonable explanation for my symptoms." I try to smile at her, but her eyes frighten me.

"You passed out while I was gone. When I came back, I checked your head. There is no sign of injury, nor do you share any of the other things related to head trauma. It's a bit worrying. I'm not sure what to do. There won't be a doctor here anytime soon and I'm not trained for cranial scans."

I give her a look of confusion. "So you have no idea why I'm experiencing amnesia? Would it help if I told you my body aches?"

She looks into my eyes then turns away from me. "No, it does not help. I don't doubt you have been in some sort of accident. You do not have any sort of observable brain trauma, so I'm very uncertain as to what is happening to you. I know you don't remember anything, but perhaps if I try to stimulate your memory through words and pictures, we can get some sort of clue."

I bite my lip and look down over to Lisa. She is still looking away. "Might as well give it a shot."

Lisa finally turns back to me and smiles. The smile is uncaring, however. "Great. Let's start with some words. First word, Silent Hill. Does anything come to mind?"

I try to think. I have heard that name somewhere before. I cannot recall where. "It sounds familiar, but I don't know why."

"Well, you are currently in Silent Hill. This could mean progress, but I'm not sure yet. Okay, second word is a name. Sophia. What does her name recall?"

Memories flood into me. A beautiful girl with raven hair. She smiles at me, gripping my wrist and pulling us together. Our lips lock together. She pulls away from me and disappears around a corner. I follow her. She manages to stay far ahead, no matter how fast I move. I turn into an alleyway. I hear her screams. I call out her name, running down the alley. Blood pools out from under her delicate body. Her slender limbs are twisted and bent. I drop to me knees and cradle her limp body. Her body is covered in bite marks. Her neck is torn out. I call out her name again. Something slams into my body, knocking my lover out of my arms. I stand up and run. I can't see, I can't hear and I can't feel. I push open a door and everything goes black.

I open my eyes. Lisa is looking at me with great worry in her eyes. "You're crying."

I wipe at my eyes. "Where did you get that name?" I shout. Lisa cringes back from me. I don't feel sorry.

"You called out that name as you came into the hospital. You passed out before I could ask you anything. Who is she?"

I look down at my hands. "We were dating. She loved me. I suppose I had loved her as well, but I took advantage of her devotion to me. I wasn't in a monogamous relationship with her, though she thinks, I mean thought, I was. I wasn't ready for what she was hinting at. I'm not sure if it was a dream or not, but she may be dead."

Lisa doesn't look too impressed with me. I can understand why. "Lisa? May I ask for a favor?"

"I suppose."

"Will you come with me to find Sophia, or at least, her body? I have to be sure. I don't want to sit her wondering what has happened. I want to know."

"I'm sorry, but I can't leave this hospital. I don't feel like I should."

I look up at her and smile. "Alright. I'll just go on my own then. Would you mind getting my clothes for me?"

She smiles back. "Your clothes are ruined, but I found some clean ones in the laundry room. I'm sure they'll fit. They look about your size." She walks out of the room and returns within seconds. She places the clothes on the chair she was once sitting on. "I'll give you some privacy." She leaves the room again.

I stand up, grimacing at the pain in my legs. I slide off the dirty hospital gown and step over to the clothes. As I grab the white boxers from the pile, I look down at my body. There is a large bruise across my chest and several small ones on my abdomen. I shake my head and clothe myself in the blue jeans and black t-shirt. There is an intricate pattern on the shirt made of white and red lines. It looks almost like a symbol, but more likely, it's just a mass produced image. I slide on the white sneakers as I call to Lisa.

She promptly walks through the door and up to me. She pauses in front of me for a minute then wraps her slender arms around me. "Please don't go. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Lisa, if you don't want to be alone, come with me."

She pushes away from me, shakes her head and walks out of the room. I run a hand through my hair and follow her out of the room. A low buzzing is heard. It escalates quickly into a deafening noise. I cover my ears, but it does nothing to block out the sound. I drop to me knees and clench my eyes shut.

When I open them, I am blinded by light. The hallway is clean. The walls are not the disgusting brown they were moments before. I run a hand down the nearest wall and look down at it. Not s speech of dust can be seen. Disbelieving, I turn and walk back into the room. The walls are also spotless in here. The window is clean and warm light enters the room. I step back into the hallway.


	3. Common Death

Okay, so this is chapter three. The pace seems a bit rushed, but it is intended. Forgive me for the likeness to Shattered Memories, it was not intended. Rest assured, I will show the differences later on when the Otherworld becomes a bit more used. I do intend to add more original monsters and have better encounters with the one mentioned below. It's a rushed scene just to show the main character is not safe and will not have an easy path to wherever he intends to go. I suggest finding a map on Google of Silent Hill. It may help with knowing where the main character actually is.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

I make my way to the reception area, checking every door along the way. Most are locked. The few that aren't are mostly empty rooms. Lisa is nowhere to be found. I call out her name as I check every locked door, but there is never an answer.

I sigh as I reach the reception hall. A lamp is shining in the corner of the room. I walk over to it and flick the switch off. I'm a bit uncertain as to why I am doing it. I step away and push open the front doors. A wall of fog rushes at me, pouring into the building. I quickly step outside and close the door behind me.

I'm amazed at the fog. I've never seen anything like this. It's a bit hard to breathe through the moisture and I can see only a few metres in from of me. I walk down the four steps and continue down the pathway. I stop at the road and look around. I see a street sign and walk over to it.

Something shuffles through the fog. I can make out a faint shape in the distance. I walk past the street sign, towards the humanoid figure. As I walk closer, I can make out a definite female figure. I call out to her. She turns and begins shuffling towards me. She appears drunk or injured. I assume the former, mostly because I don't want to have to deal with an injury at the moment.

As she shuffles closer I begin to feel like something is wrong. I can't make out a face, though I can see her grey-ish skin and torn clothing. As she gets even closer, I can see that it looks like someone bashed her face in with a brick. There are no facial details, just raw, bruised flesh. I can hear a gurgling noise coming from her.

I back away slowly. My movement seems to attract her attention. She lunges forward, gangly arms outstretched, reaching for me. I can see crooked fingers. No. Not fingers. Bone. She has no flesh on her arms, it's just bone. Sharpened bone.

I dive to the side. She soars past me and crashes into the ground. The gurgling noise intensifies. She sounds like she is trying to scream, but submerged in water. I can see her breasts through her torn shirt. They appear swollen and bruised, contrasting her lanky arms and legs. Strips of flesh are missing from her chest and legs, and purple liquid oozes from the wounds. It's not blood. The fluid is too thick to be blood.

The smell of decay washes over me. I retch, trying to crawl away from the diseased corpse. Her footsteps echo on the pavement. I glance backwards, only seeing her bare feet, bloody and missing most of the flesh on them.

I scramble to my feet and dash away, still gagging at the smell trapped inside my nostrils. I'm much faster than her and within a minute, I can no longer see nor hear the gurgling woman. I crouch down behind a car to rest. My legs burn, the bruises on my abdomen ache and I feel nauseous. Not only from the smell, but from running on an empty stomach.

I stand up, still panting and begin walking down the street again. Wandering around, I look for another street sign, or perhaps a bus stop with a map. The fog seems to swirl and move around me, rather than being inanimate. It's frightening, but I push on. Finally, I come to a street sign.

_Wilson Street and Sagan Street. _I think for a moment, trying to remember if I have ever been on this road. Nothing comes to mind. I turn left on Sagan Street and walk down the road. A police station forms in the thick fog. I walk to the front door and pull it open. A smell similar to lavender washes over me. It's too strong to be pleasant. I cover my face with my shirt and step inside. The smell sinks into my clothing and I push my shirt away from my face. The flowery smell is no different with or without a face mask. I walk up to the counter and knock on the glass. There is no one in there.

Frowning, I look around the small room. There are two doors, besides the main ones. I step over to the closest one and pull on it. It's locked. I step over to the second door and yank on the handle. The door jerks open.

'I'm sure no one is going to mind if I take a peek inside," I whisper to myself. I slide through the open door and close it behind me.

The room is kind of like an office, but not quite. There are a few desks and a chalk board. And another door. I smile and step towards it. As I do, I notice the stench becoming much stronger. I bite my lower lip and grasp the door handle.

As I'm about to pull open the door, a familiar buzzing noise returns. First just a nuisance at the back of my head but it escalates quickly. I drop to the ground and shield my ears, but it still does nothing. I open my eyes a crack and notice the floor freezing beneath me. The walls decay, lumps of something that look frighteningly close to flesh fall to the frozen ground.

The buzzing dissipates and I stand up. The door I entered in is no longer there. There is nothing to suggest a door had once been there. The desks are gone, replaced with sickening bags hanging from the ceiling. I can make out the droplets of blood falling to the ground.

I turn back to the door I had intended on entering. There is no longer the strong scent of flowers. It too has been changed. The smell of burnt hair seeps out from the room.


	4. Alessa and Dominique

A wave of heat greets my face as the door swings open. It's not horribly unpleasant, though the smell makes up for it. At first glance, I'm tempted to run. The walls and ceiling are engulfed in flames, red liquid, which I assume to be blood, is boiling on the floor and a black mass in the center of the room is almost invisible beneath the red flames the reach towards the roof.

However, I notice that black mass begin to shift and move. A limb appears and latches onto the ground. Another shoots out from the lump and grabs near the first. I stumble backwards at the sound of a girl laughing. The mass rises off the ground. The laughing is coming from the charred figure of a girl.

"Welcome to my Hell, Tyson." I see a smile stretch across her face.

She steps towards me, still engulfed in flames. She pays no attention to them, nor does she seem to feel pain. "It's been such a long time since I've had a visitor. In fact, it's been so long, I can't even remember who the last was."

I step backwards and grope for the door. Flames lick at my hand. I turn around, but see no door through the blaze.

"Why do you fear me? I'm just a little girl."

I spin around to face the child. Her eyes look pure and innocent and untouched by the fires. "What are you?" My lungs begin to burn.

"I am Alessa. Or what remains of her."

"This has to be a dream! A horrible nightmare. Dead people can't talk. Dead people can't stand up and walk around. Buildings don't freeze instantaneously. None of this makes sense."

"No. This is Silent Hill. A town cursed into eternal damnation by the fools of The Order. They wanted paradise. At the cost of a child."

I shake my head and focus on breathing. It hurts.

"Perhaps you'd like some reminder, Tyson, of who you truly are." That horrendous buzzing sound returns. I expect to feel the pain in my lungs disappear, but it doesn't happen. Instead, I can see a man and a woman walking down a street. It's dark. His red hair contrasts her black hair. The moonlight shines down on them. Even before I see their faces, I know who they are.

"Sophia…"

The scene continues. A stranger stops the couple. He places something in each of their hands. The man walks away, a malicious smile upon his face.

"Alessa! Stop, please!" The image fades. I think back to that moment. A man gave Sophia and me a pill. She had met him before through a family friend. Those pills were supposed to make someone happy.

"They didn't make you happy. They enraged you. Both of you." Alessa smiles as she speaks, oblivious to the fire covering her body. "He lied. Those pills were actually a drug called White Claudia. It induces hallucinations."

"I… I have to get out of here! I can't breathe."

The burned corpse crosses its arms and sneers at me, something that seems too childish for what she has been talking about. "Accept your fate. End it now. You'll regret fighting death."

I begin to sway, feeling my legs weaken. I try to remain standing, but cannot. As I fade out of consciousness, I hear Alessa utter one last phrase. "You will pay for your sins."

When I open my eyes, I am can no longer see flames or dead children. My eyes don't water at the heat and I can breathe again. My chest still burns, but far from the intensity it was at moments ago.

"Good morning." The voice is soft and sensual. I jerk my head around, looking for the source of the voice. A woman is sitting on a table, legs crossed. If she didn't have an air of intelligence about her, I would assume she was a prostitute. Her blond hair rests on her bare shoulders, quite a distance from her low cut dress. It barely reaches down to her thighs.

"Who are you?" I'm not sure if I should be fearful or angry.

"It isn't polite to ask a woman her name before introducing yourself."

"What?"

"You heard me. What is your name?"

"I'm… Tyson?" I don't exactly recall that being my name, but Alessa addressed me as Tyson.

"You don't sound too sure about that." She smiles at me; it's neither friendly nor harsh.

"To be honest, I don't remember anything about myself, except I'm looking for a woman. A corpse would probably be more correct in this situation. And who are you?"

"Dominique. Dominique Wollin. It's a pleasure to meet you Tyson." She ignores my comment on Sophia. She keeps that blank smile on her face. "Listen. I'm going to be blunt and to the point. I need someone to escort me from this town, and someone as fit as yourself is the perfect candidate. Now, either you can accept and enjoy my company, or decline and die out there." That smile bothers me. I feel like she knows something that I don't.

"That was very blunt. Dominique, I'm looking for my dead girlfriend. If you want my protection, you'll have to make a detour. I'm not certain I know where she is, but I have to try and find her."

"Why would I follow you around on a useless task? It benefits me in no way at all and if she's dead, what's the point? Finding her body will only depress you. You're better off just leaving this town with me right now and forgetting about her." Dominique frowns at me. She slides off the table and steps towards me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Plus, Lisa is waiting for me back at the hospital. I refuse to just leave her there."

"Another woman? Are you some kind of player? I'd rather not deal with your kind. I've had enough of them in my life. I assumed you were an athlete or in construction, based on your build, but I guess I'm mistaken. Get out of here. You sicken me."

"She's a nurse. I woke up here close to dead. She saved me and I refuse to just leave her in this crazy town. You don't dress like you're looking for a husband."

"I would never dress to impress a man. I do things for myself. I could care less what people think of me." She walks past me. I turn to see her open a door. "If you change your mind, meet me on the bridge. I'll be there trying to figure out how to lower it." She walks through the doorway and slams it shut, leaving me in complete silence. I regret not asking her about White Claudia. She may have answers that I need.

I shake my head and rub my temple. I feel exhausted. Dominique is an interesting person. Though she was harsh to me, I feel bad about her being alone out there. Then again, Lisa is alone in the hospital, and Sophia is lying on the ground in an alleyway. I decide I've made the right choice. I have to find her. I have to know for sure.


	5. The Cannibal

Sorry for the long wait. I was quite busy. Anyways, don't forget about the name change. Anita is now Dominique. I did this due to the fact that I thought Anita was not fitting.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

I follow Dominique out of the police station, though by the time I make it outside, she is nowhere to be seen. I assume she's making her way to the bridge, but a woman like her can be unpredictable.

I walk down the street, trying to remember my desperate pathway here. I keep my eyes open for anything in the swirling fog. Whatever chased me here is probably still lurking around. I have an odd sense of security. Sadly, I know that it is a false sense of security. Something is inevitably going to show up. What it is, I'm not sure. At this point, it could be anything.

I frown at a shape moving towards me in the fog. I look around for a weapon, but there are none. Unless I plan to use a car or a street sign, I'm out of luck. The shape disappears. I tilt my head in confusion. It reappears several feet to the left. I take a step forward, but it disappears again.

"Hello? Is someone there? Or are you another monster? Please tell me." I know my question will not be answered, but I cannot help but try. If it is a living person in the fog, I want to know.

I feel a presence behind me. It's not an entirely unwelcoming feeling, but it's frightening nonetheless. I turn around. A quick flash of black covers my face before disappearing. I'm terrified. A low buzzing sound wafts through the fog. At this point, I know covering my ears will do nothing to block it out. I lie down on the ground and wait for it to pass.

It only takes several seconds for ice to burst from the ground and a muted gray to cover the sky. It's an odd sight, but not really much of a shock after Alessa. Something floats to the ground near me. I look closely and see it is an ember. More start falling around me. There are not very many, and the ones that land on my skin do not burn. I look towards the murky sky, but cannot see the source.

The figure reappears in the distance. Much of the fog is gone, leaving only a slight haze. The figure is feminine. She moves slowly towards me, and as she nears, I understand why. From what I see, she has no legs. Instead, she walks on metal spikes, connected to a silver case that wraps around her thighs. Small tubes connect the metal to her skin. It looks painful. Blood oozes from cracks in the tubes. I can't see hair, only rotting bandages covering her scalp. She has a mouth full of razor like teeth.

As she walks towards me, I realize that she isn't wearing any clothes either. Her body is a bluish brown color, something that reminds me of a strangle victim. Lacerations cover much of her chest and arms. It looks as though she doesn't notice me, but I know better.

I take a step to the side, eying an open door next to me. As I do this, she begins to screech. I turn and dash through the open door. In my terror, I forget to close the door. The sound of metal hitting pavement echoes into the building. She's running. Fast. I push through a doorway and slam it shut behind me. I'm in a bedroom.

At first glance, it's not promising. The room is gender neutral. I'm unsure of what I will find. I start at the closet. There is a baseball bat. I pick it up and set it on the bed for easy reach. I continue to dig through the closet, finding nothing of interest.

Suddenly, the creature slams against the door. I snatch the bat off the bed and raise it. One of her spiked legs pierces through the door. She lets out another ear piercing scream. She withdraws her leg and slams against the door, shattering it. I swing the bat. It crashes against her head. She stumbles under the impact, but smiles as she recovers. Her hand shoots out and slaps my head. It's a devastating blow, knocking me off my feet and pushing me into the wall. I lose grip of the baseball bat.

The feminine creature steps over me and leans down. A sound similar to a laugh, escapes her lips. She leans forward and sinks her teeth into my shoulder. I'm unsure of whether or not she aimed at my neck. It seems unlikely that she can see, as the bandages cover most of her head. She leans back and tears a chunk of flesh off me. I scream in pain and try to wriggle out of under her. She grabs my injured shoulder and squeezes. Another scream erupts from my mouth as the blood seeps from my wound.

I hear a deafening bang and the creature slumps forward onto my chest. Black blood flows from the creature onto my body. Dominique stands in the doorway, aiming a shotgun down at me.

"I heard the screams and came running. I didn't expect to find you being eaten alive by a naked woman." She lowers the gun and walks over to me. She helps move the dead monster off me. For a petite woman, Dominique has a lot of strength.

"Thank you very much." I want to add more, but feel queasy. I grab a pillowcase from the bed and wrap it around my shoulder. It won't help me for long, but should be suffice until I get back to the hospital.

"Normally, I would have either ignored the screams, or came to watch someone get torn apart. Don't ask why I decided to save you. I have my reasons." She reloads the shotgun and motions for me to follow. I do.

"I won't ask about you saving me, but I will ask about that gun. Where did you find it?" She turns left when we reach the street. Without the fog, I can see the top of the hospital in the distance.

"A police car. Now, I'll take you to the hospital, but I won't go in. If you want to find this Lisa girl, go ahead. I just don't want any part in the locals here. They are not what they seem to be."

It's a quiet walk. Dominique stops at the hospital gates and nods before walking away. I smile at her but she doesn't see it. I look towards the hospital and see Lisa at the front door, watching me. I walk up to her and she wraps her arms around me before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the building.

"We have to clean up that wound and bandage it properly. I thought you said you would be careful?" She looks back at me with concern. Lisa still confuses me.

"I didn't know there were cannibalistic monsters out there. Had it not been for Dominique, I would be dead right now." When I mention Dominique's name, Lisa stops walking and turns around to face me. She has a look of rage on her face and it is almost as frightening as the female creature.

"Fuck you." She walks away.


	6. Trapped

**Chapter 6**

At this point, Lisa is probably the only person who I would chase after. Sure, Dominique may have saved my life, but she seems capable of handling herself. Lisa, on the other hand, is a fragile, aging woman who looks terrified and alone. I don't know what has come over, but I follow her. She slams a door and I hear it lock before I can open it. I knock on the door lightly, but know she won't open. Lisa would likely prefer to open the door for one of those creatures.

I'm still unsure of what I have actually done. The mention of Dominique set her off. Does Lisa have jealousy issues? It seems unlikely, considering the circumstances. Unless she has blocked out the terrifying creatures and obvious and frequent environmental changes, but that feels wrong. She knows what's going on.

"Lisa? Could you please open the door? I just want to talk to you! What happened? Why did you get upset? Was it something I said, or something I did?" She doesn't respond, though I expect that.

Sighing, I turn around and walk down the hallway. I reach out to open a door, but pain erupts in my shoulder. It's funny how adrenaline works. A life threatening injury can become unknown to a person until it wears off. I suspect the bite wound on my shoulder may be life threatening. I have no clue what that creature was or if it practiced proper hygiene. I assume its mouth was full of thousands of bacteria and viruses and other potentially nasty things.

I use my other arm to push the door open. It's just a room for a patient, and I can't see any antibiotics. I step out of the room and continue walking down the hall. My vision begins to blur. It's hardly noticeable at first, but quickly escalates. I can't see much by the time I reach the end of the hall. I'm terrified. I fear death, though under the circumstances, a quick death now could save endless torture. As I black out, I think of Sophia.

_We place the pills in our mouth and swallow. We hold hands and smile at each other while we wait for those little white capsules to take effect. I breathe in her scent, completely oblivious to anything happening around us. When I'm around her, it's like the whole world stops, except for us. At this moment I regret all the one night stands and other women who have lain with me. Sophie deserves better than I. She deserves a man worthy of bearing her children and committing himself to her completely. It's something I can never give her. The world begins to spin. I grab Sophie and we run towards an alleyway. She breaks free of my grip and runs away. She's screaming, and I don't know why. I turn a corner, calling out her name. Everything goes black. I open my eyes and I'm holding her broken body in my arms. Something slams against me, knocking Sophia away. There's an awful thud sound when she hits the ground. I struggle to stand up and run away. I feel desperate to get away, fearing for my own life. Her life is no longer important to me…_

I open my eyes. Blackness. This is all too familiar. I'm sitting this time though, not lying down. I try to stand up, but my wrists and ankles are firmly tied to the chair. I begin to struggle, but stop when I hear a chuckle. Her high heels echo in the room as she walks towards me.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Lisa's mocks herself, putting emphasis on fake worry. I can feel her anger from where I am. She walks a little closer to me.

"Lisa, what are you doing? Untie me!" I'm terrified. I can feel myself shaking; I can hear it when the uneven chair taps the floor.

I hear her breathe heavily. "I will not untie you. She said you were mine. She said I could have you." Lisa begins raising her voice. "You betrayed me. That slut wants to take you away from me. She wants you for herself. She can't have you!" She's yelling now. She's leaning forward; her face is right in front mine. "You're mine! All mine! I won't let anyone take you away from me. If I have to kill you to keep you here, so be it!" She grabs my wrist and plunges a needle into it. I scream and try to pull my arm away, but it's no use.

"Lisa! Please stop this! Dominique is not trying to take me away; she's trying to help me survive. You can come with me. Come with me to leave this horrible town." I'm crying. Not because of the pain in my wrist. Not because that pain is slowly moving up my arm, but because I fear Lisa is going to kill me. I fear she is going to torture me, then find Dominique and torture her. I'm also afraid I'll never get to say a proper goodbye to Sophia, though something about her death confuses me.

I hear Lisa walking away. The room we're in is quite large, and her footsteps echo loudly. When she speaks, her voice is barely audible, "You know, I did plan on leaving her alone. Then you had to go and seduce her and commit yourself to her. It's such a shame. She's so beautiful. Just like Sophia. Maybe I should leave her to you." I hear her laugh and begin to walk back. "Now, hold still, this will only hurt for a few seconds."

I feel a prick in my arm. At first it doesn't hurt, but as the seconds tick by, it becomes agonizing. It starts to spread, slowly, moving up past my elbow to my shoulder. From there I feel it begin to spread to my entire body. My arm is numb. I hear Lisa's voice.

"You won't die. Even if you do, it won't be a big loss. You've been tainted. Not only by that creature, but by that woman as well. This is the only way to save you." She cups my face with her hands. I feel her press her lips to mine. I try to jerk my head away, but she has a firm grip.

The "cure" for the taint overwhelms my entire body. I struggle to remain conscious, but I know it is wasted effort. The feeling in my hand starts to return. I flex my fingers, wishing for the feeling in the rest of me to return.

Lisa continues speaking, "Dominique should be around here any minute. Alessa will make sure of it. I have a special treatment for her. She won't make it. Unlike you, I don't need her around. Don't you see Tyson? If you stay with me, you'll end my suffering! You will free me from torment I've endured for far too long. Alessa will ensure you are safe, just as I am!" As the feeling returns to my face, she pulls her hands away.

"You are only a pawn of a dead child! She doesn't care for you!" I spit my words at her. I'm not entirely sure I'm right. For as long as Lisa says she's been here, Alessa wouldn't have kept her around if she was useless.

Lisa wraps her hands around my throat and begins to squeeze. I fear that my insult will be my last thing I ever do. She lets go after only a few seconds. I cough, gulping in the stale air. "You see, Tyson, I hold your life in my hands. One wrong movement or word and you will not be opening your eyes ever again." She caresses my face.

She walks away again, this time farther across the room than before. I hold my breath and try to get imagine how large the room is. I know it won't really be of any use, but it helps me focus. Lisa walks back and I feel her wipe my arm with a cloth. "We don't need your blood getting everywhere, do we?" I can hear her breathing and it bothers me. It sounds irregular and unhealthy. I think of a way to escape, even though I know it's quite impossible without help. The straps around my arms and legs are tight and feel strong. I remember how uneven the chair is and think of a way to use that. Unless it breaks when I tip it over, the only thing that will be accomplished are more wounds. I have enough of those already.

A door behind me opens. "Tyson! Let him go, you bitch!" Dominique's voice echoes in the room. Lisa gasps and takes a few steps backwards.

"If you want him, you have to go through me. I'm not letting him go with you!"

I silently curse myself for getting Dominique involved. Though she may be able to handle herself, Lisa is vicious and will no doubt stop at nothing to keep me for herself. I wriggle my hands and feet, praying for one of the straps to break or loosen. My left hand begins to slide through the leather strap. I wrench my hand free of the strap. As I pull the blind fold off, I realize why my arm came free.

Two large puncture holes, both oozing blood, occupy my wrist and forearm. My blood acted as a lubricant. I tilt my head upwards. Lisa is marching towards me, a horrible scowl across her face. Dominique is nowhere in sight.

"Are you trying to escape?" Her eyes trail down to my arm, the scowl being replaced with shock and distress. "Oh no! I have to bandage that! You're losing a lot of blood. Sit still while I…"

Lisa crumples to the ground. Dominique is standing behind her, holding the shotgun like a baseball bat.

She stares down at the almost lifeless body of Lisa. "That bitch won't be getting up for a long time."


	7. The Child

Over a year later, the next chapter is uploaded! Hurray. I'm gonna try to be more consistent with this story now, because I really do love it. Other than that, I really hope you enjoy it and please leave a review!

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**Chapter 7**

"Dominique, I hate to be so pushy, but we have to leave. Now! If we don't get out of this town right away, I don't think we ever will. I… I can accept that Sophia is gone. I don't need to find her anymore. We…" I begin swaying, feeling light headed and nauseous.

"Not yet. We have to bandage your arm up. I don't want you to die yet. As much trouble as you are, I need you yet." Dominique grabs my arm and guides me back into the chair. I nod at her, almost passing out.

"Hold still." She tears the bottom part of her dress off and wraps it tightly around my arm, covering one of the puncture wounds. I look up at her. She's frowning and looking down at her dress. "I'm sorry, but if I tear any more of this thing off, there won't be anything left. I'd rather not walk around nude." She grabs my shirt and lifts it over my head. Tearing off a strip of the fabric, she uses it to cover the other wound.

Stepping back, Dominique begins chuckling. "You sure are a sight to see." I cock an eyebrow then look down at myself. The wound on my shoulder looks better, but it's definitely infected. Lisa's 'cure' didn't work too well. Or maybe it did. I'm not entirely sure what she wanted to cure. My chest is smeared with blood and dirt, as is my arms.

"Alright, it's time to get going. This is a hospital, so they should have some proper bandages and antibiotics somewhere. We aren't leaving this place until we find some." Dominique pulls me out of the chair and drags me towards the door. For such a small woman, she is pretty strong. As we leave the room, I take a final glance back at Lisa. Her slender body is lumped in the middle of the room. She wasn't exactly pleasant to be around, but I still can't help but feel sorry for her. Trapped in a world filled with monsters and not another soul to be around. Though I am still undecided on whether she was truly human or just another monster.

Dominique closes the door and Lisa's body disappears from sight. Sighing, I clutch my shoulder, wincing at the pain. Dominique gives me a worried look, but I smile back at her. As moody as she has been, I don't want to upset her by worrying about Lisa. At this point, Dominique is the only sane person I know.

"Shhh." Dominique stops walking and I bump into her, still lost in thought. "Did you hear that?" I shake my head. "Are you sure? I swear I heard something up ahead."

I look over her shoulder, into the darkness of the hallway. As far as I can tell, there isn't anything there. I open my mouth to speak when a soft cry echoes down the hallway. A shiver passes through my body, followed by fear.

"It sounds like a child!" Dominique begins walking down the hall. I grab her shoulder, holding her back. She tries to pull free of my grasp, but fails.

"Wait. We don't know what it actually is. We should think before rushing towards whatever is making that noise." I let go of her and smile. "We don't need any more injuries. I have enough for the both of us."

Dominique bites her lower lip and nods. The cries become louder and angrier sounding. She raises the shotgun and points it forward as we move carefully down the hallway. As we advance, I check each door but can't find any that are unlocked. Whatever is at the end of the hallway, it doesn't want us to leave.

A silhouette forms in the darkness. From what I can make out, it's a small figure sitting on the ground. Dominique stops and checks the shotgun. A look of terror spreads across her face.

"I only have two bullets left. If we're lucky, that will last until we get out of this hospital. If we aren't, which seems to be the case, we'll be lucky to get past whatever the hell that thing is." Dominique motions ahead.

"I'll go. I'm already injured, so if worse comes to worst; you'll still have a better chance of getting out of here alive." I grab the shotgun from her and aim it down the hallway. My footsteps echo loudly as I tread forward.

"Hello? Are you okay?" The only response is more crying. I'm reluctant to move forward, but I know it's necessary. I turn around a corner and see a small figure sitting on the ground. It's hard to see what it is in the dim light.

As I near the crouched figure, I can make out a dirty summer dress with a pink pattern on it. The bottom is shredded and drops of blood are splattered across the floor. It's definitely a child, or at the very least, in the form of a child. Her blonde hair is smeared with dirt, or dried blood, it's hard to tell in the darkness.

"Are… are you okay? You look hurt." I stop moving nearly a meter away. After several seconds, the crying softens slightly, but she remains seated. Her back is still facing me, which gives me a weird feeling. I know something is horribly wrong with her. Whether or not she is just another one of those creatures, I can't say.

I shuffle a few steps forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to get you out of here, don't be afraid." Her crying begins to stop, turning into loud sobs, before everything becomes quiet. Dead quiet.

The small figure begins to stand, rising from the ground like something is lifting her up. The way her dress is torn and bloodied, it's a frightening sight. I pull my hand away and take a step backwards. As she begins to turn around, I nearly vomit. Blood cakes the front of her dress, making it stiff, leading to a stream of fresh blood that flows down her face, spurting from two black holes in her face, where her eyes may have been at one point. The holes are large and ragged, as if someone carved them out with a knife. A demented smile contorts her lips.

I begin to slowly back away. Her empty eye sockets fixate on me, observing without seeing. She's swaying slightly, but I'm unable to tell if it's on purpose or just happens. Even knowing she's nothing but a grotesque creature, I can't bring myself to raise the gun.

"Tyson? Are you still there?" Dominique's voice echoes down the hallway, shattering the silence like glass. There's a profound effect on the child creature in front of me. Her face begins twitching, at first almost like a nervous tick. It quickly escalates in intensity until her face looks like a writhing mass of flesh. Blood splashes off her face, sending droplets flying away from her, splattering the floor and wall. As a high pitched cry erupts from her mouth, I turn and dash back towards Dominique.

I round the corner and collide with the blonde, sending us both sprawling to the ground. Before we're even on out feet, I'm dragging her down the hallway, away from the light footsteps trailing behind us.

"We have to run, now!" A quick glance at her face reveals more confusion than terror, but she complies without argument. I want to explain to her that it's just another creature, but there isn't time. The sound of the child's footsteps is just around the corner, her cries only escalating in sound.

We skid around another corner and only stop long enough for me to kick open the nearest door, my injuries long forgotten in the burst of adrenaline. I shove Dominique inside the room before hopping inside and slamming the door behind us.

"What the fuck…" I clamp a hand over her mouth before she can finish and whisper for her to shut up.

The monsters screams have stopped, a small whimper replacing the ear numbing cries, but her footsteps can be heard very clearly outside the door. I motion for Dominique to stand behind me. If the child monster is able to get in here, it gives Dominique a much better chance of escape.

Several minutes pass before the sounds outside the door fade and disappear. I let out a sigh of relief as Dominique pushes past me and heads for the door. She doesn't open it, but rests her head against it. I can see drops of sweat on her back, and the tips of her hair are wet. She runs a hand through the tangled mess of blonde strands.

"Tyson, what the fuck was that?" She doesn't turn around, but I can hear the fear and annoyance in her voice.

"Those cries were a trap. It was just another monster. It was just a way of luring food or a toy or… whatever. I'm not too sure. Whatever it was, it didn't want to be friends and it wasn't looking for help." I wipe the sweat from my forehead and lean up against the wall. Pain floods back into my body, and I feel like fainting.

"No, what I meant was why were you so fucking terrified of that thing. You have a shotgun. Surely that would have very easily stopped that thing?" She turns around and looks me straight in the eyes. I can see some sense of understanding in her eyes, so I leave it at that. I shake my head and glance around the room. Aside from a dark shape on the bed, it's an ordinary patient's room.

I cock an eyebrow at the irregular shape before stepping towards the bed. Dominique says something, but I'm far more interested in what is in front of me. I prod it with the shotgun, and nothing moves. The sound of paper crumpling fills the small room.

"Tyson, we don't have time for this. We need to get out of here right away, before that thing comes back." Dominique puts a hand on my back, but I shrug her off.

I dig through the pile of paper, only finding a small piece of cloth wrapped around something. Stepping away from the bed, I unravel the cloth, quite confused at what I see. There are three metal rectangles, each the size of a playing card and half as thick as a deck of cards. In the dim lighting, I can make out multiple shapes on one side, with the other side being smooth. As I place the weird objects in my pockets, I can see faint lettering on the cloth. I step past Dominique and open the door, walking into the more brightly lit hallway.

_The three seals mark the path to the exit. There is no other escape. Cross the River of Flames to the Gates of Death to find what you are looking for. A key is the only redemption. There is no other way. The wrong seal will end with death, the right to the Key of Salvation._

I look at Dominique. "I don't think getting out of here will be that easy…"


	8. Pieces of the Puzzle

_****Wow it's been a long time since I've updated this story. It's not dead, and I'm dead set on finishing it at some point._

_Anyways, enjoy the chapter!_

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**Chapter 8**

"So, we have to cross a river of fire?" Dominique groans. "Where would there be a river of fire in a hospital?" She leans against a wall and crosses her arms, looking at me expectantly.

"Well, I don't think it's literal. The whole thing sounds a lot more symbolic. Unfortunately, the Gate of Death is the only thing that jumps out at me, and I'm not even sure it's right. But, I have a strong feeling that it's referring to the morgue." I glance down at the cloth, trying to think of any other hidden meanings. At the moment, nothing else seems to make sense.

"Well, let's skip the fire and head straight for the morgue. Not having to search for a non-existent river just means we can be out of here so much sooner." Dominique pushes herself from the wall and strides past me. Before she gets far, I grab her shoulder.

"That's likely a very bad idea. If we're to believe this," I hold up the cloth, "Then it would probably be best if we do this in order. I don't want to die from a stupid mistake." Dominique rolls her eyes and I can tell she's thinking of my desire to help Lisa. She doesn't walk away this time, just looks at me with a blank expression. Her eyes trail down from my eyes, to my chest, to my waist before stopping at my crotch. My face goes red and I shift uncomfortably on me feet.

"Don't flatter yourself." Dominique looks up at me. "I'm not interested in your dick at the moment. You'd have to be some kind of idiot to think sex would be anyone's priority in a situation like this." She reaches into my pocket and pulls out one of the seals. "This, on the other hand, is much more interesting. It may have some sort of clue to figuring out this stupid puzzle." The metal block in her hand has a skeleton engraved into it with the word 'mors' in the bottom left. She stuffs it back into my pocket and pulls out the other two from my other pocket.

These two are just as explicit. A few squiggly lines and the word 'flumen' on one, and a flame on the other with the word 'ignis' on the other. Dominique looks closely at them.

"River of Fire must be two separate clues." Dominique doesn't seem to hear me. I tap her on the shoulder, but she just shrugs my hand away and continues to stare down at the seals. I scratch my head and yawn, realizing how exhausted I am. The feeling floods into me, like a shattered dam. I blink my eyes, trying to keep them open. It doesn't work, and as everything goes black, I feel the cold floor against my bare chest and face.

Reminiscent of my first time waking up in this town, it's dark and I'm thirsty. This time, however, I can see Dominique looking down on me, holding a can in her hand. Her blonde hair is tied back with some sort of fabric, though a few strands hang down and hover just above my face.

"You passed out. Probably from blood loss, but you're pretty dehydrated too, so that didn't help any. Here, drink this. It's the only thing I could find, but it's probably better than nothing." She hands me the can and I can see that it's some kind of health drink.

"Thank you." I tilt my head forward and down the entire can. Taking a few deep breaths, I put my head back down on the pillow, feeling a bit light headed, but so much better. "How long was I out?"

Dominique frowns and looks around. Not satisfied, she exhales loudly. "I'm not sure actually. A day, maybe more? I didn't really bother checking the time when you hit the ground, nor did I really bother when I went out looking for some supplies. But I'd guess about a day. You had me worried. While I was out, I did manage to find some antibiotics and bandages, so you should be feeling better soon." I look down at my arm and see it neatly covered in yellow bandages. They definitely look much cleaner than the scraps of fabric that once covered the puncture wounds. "I also figured out part of the puzzle. I think. River of Flames is referring to two different places. I'm not too sure about the river part, but the flame is likely talking about the furnace." Dominique smiled.

"I already told you it was referring to two things, but good job on the furnace part." I struggle to sit up, but manage to get about halfway, leaning my back against the wall. "Now we just need to figure out what a river in a hospital would be. The only thing that comes to my mind is a shower. But I'm pretty sure there are several of those around here." Dominique brushes hair from her face as she listens, obviously contemplating that as well.

"That's the best we have to go on right now. This place is pretty big, but I'm sure there aren't too many shower rooms here. There's no rush though. We have some food and water. You should get a bit more rest. There's no sense in pushing yourself more than you have to." Her face shows concern, and I try to flash a smile, ease her worries. I'm not sure how well it comes across, but she does smile back. I push myself fully into a sitting position.

"Any sign of that thing while you were looking for supplies?" I'm not sure I have the strength to run much if we do get into a predicament.

"None. It's almost like it disappeared. But I'm not going to complain. Whatever the fuck that thing is, it can stay gone. Let's just hope it stays that way." She glances towards the door, either eager to leave, or concerned about the return of the monster. I can't really tell. "You're sitting up. How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess. Give me a few more minutes and I should be good to go. If it turns out I can't make it too far, we can always stop in another room. At least that way we'll get a chance to explore somewhere else."

"Alright, whenever you're ready, let me know." She stands up and walks over to the door. I take a few deep breaths as I move various parts of my body, hoping they're not too stiff to function. I'm still a bit light headed, but I feel good enough to start moving around. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed feels nice, as blood more easily flows into the limbs. I stand up and walk around the room a few times, shaking my head as Dominique chuckles at me. After a couple of minutes, I stop in front of her and nod and she pulls the door open.

The hallway is dark and silent. From what I can tell, we are completely alone. Though something about the silence is terrifying, not comforting. We step into the hallway and turn right, not entirely sure where to go. The only plan I can think of at the moment is to search every bathroom and shower room in the hospital until we find what we need.

Suddenly, images of Sophia wash through my mind. Her black hair blowing in the wind, her pretty face smiling at me. I try to push them out of my mind but they linger, almost as if she's standing in front of me when I close my eyes. I continue walking behind Dominique without saying anything. There's no reason to concern her any further.

"Shhhhh." Dominique stops walking and holds up her hand. I stop and try to listen. I can't hear anything. She, however, is staring intensely down the hallway. As far as I can tell, it's just an empty hallway. A bit dark, but definitely bright enough to see that it's empty.

Sharp laughter fills the air around us; Dominique swings the shotgun up, aiming towards something. I look past her, and Lisa is standing at the end of the hallway, holding a scalpel and laughing. I swear she wasn't there moments earlier, but she obviously was. Unless she just appeared out of nowhere. Dominique isn't moving and I reach out an arm, tapping on her shoulder.

"We've got to run." Something about Lisa is different. This is no longer the woman driven crazy by loneliness. No, it's someone entirely different. _Something._ Not human anymore.

The nurse starts staggering towards us, still laughing. I can see something red in her eyes. Have her pupils changed? No. As she nears us I can see that it's blood. Blood dripping from her pupils, dripping down her face, into her open mouth. Dominique still isn't moving. I grab her shoulder, but she shrugs my hand off. Lisa is halfway down the hallway, and blood continues to drain from her eyes. Her face is covered in it and a growing stain is on her uniform. More blood oozes from the top of her head, covering her entire face. Her laughter is muffled by the blood in her mouth, replaced by sputtering and gurgling noises. She's only a dozen steps away now.

"Dominique! Let's go!" I scream, backing away. I don't want to leave her, but I definitely don't want to stay and find out what Lisa… what this thing can do. Dominique is shaking her head, pointing the shotgun right at the nurse's head.

With only a few steps to go, Lisa raises the scalpel in her and starts to swing it down. The shotgun goes off, and Lisa's head explodes in a shower of red, white and grey. Dominique stumbles backwards, evading the scalpel by mere inches.

"That fucking bitch better leave us alone now. " Dominique starts walking past the headless corpse, running a hand through her hair, letting out a disgusted groan as she feels the blood in it. "We really need to find that shower now."


End file.
